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| Plot Summary of On The Chopping Block |
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"Librarian Penny Penelope has been found dead at the town's bookstore, Brickley's Books. She was struck several times in the head by an axe and based on the lack of blood at the scene, it is clear that her body was moved and later dumped at the bookstore. It is bad enough to have a dead body in a bookstore on any day, but even worse when the Fair is about to open and the bookstore is set to host Miss Holly LaFrance who will be signing copies of her new book. The very same book that was blasted in a scathing syndicated review column that happened to run in the local paper today.
Retired detective Brady Kincaid is needed and despite some misgivings about being paired with Officer Alice Drinker, he is glad to assist. He misses serious police work and this case intrigues him from his first visit to the crime scene. As the fair opens and the investigation moves forward, they find that the killer wasn't the only one with secrets to hide. Public image is one thing but as so often the case, private reality is far different.
The focus in this “cozy” style murder mystery is primarily on Brady Kincaid and the case as well as some important decisions about his future that he needs to make. As such, there is less romance than in the previous book. Not to say there is not a romantic element, there certainly is, but the primary element in this novel is the mystery. "
Kevin R. Tipple, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of On The Chopping Block |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very obvious
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 40%
Murder of certain profession?
- librarians/book industry
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- local police w/ IQ of a houseplant
Kind of investigator
- husband/wife boy/girlfriend investigators
Any non-mystery subplot?
- life in small town
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- retiree
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- criminal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
- dumb rednecks, like Gomer Pyle
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 2
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Click here for more information about this book
Bobby Jaye Allen Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Kevin R. Tipple
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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